2026-01-15 21:51:17

Back in 2019, Zuckerberg announced a massive metaverse initiative that burned through $73 billion. Fast forward to today—the company just announced layoffs of 1,500 people, and the metaverse hype has largely fizzled.

Here's the thing: that $73 billion could've bought roughly 10.4 million BTC at the time. If held through the current cycle, that position would've appreciated to over $932 billion in gains.

That's a 14x return on capital.

It's a stark reminder of how capital allocation choices can dramatically diverge. Virtual real estate and immersive experiences generated headlines. Bitcoin generated actual returns. One bet on unproven infrastructure. The other bet on the hardest money ever created.

Both are bets on the future. Only one played out.

BTC-0,92%

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

17 Likes

Reward
17
7
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

MoonlightGamer

· 11h ago

Huh, this calculation is really clever; just looking at the numbers can break defenses. Back then, the hype around those VR glasses... and yet, BTC still makes money. 73B, how many lives does that take... such a waste. Bitcoin is just Bitcoin; everything else is just a story.

View OriginalReply0

TokenVelocity

· 14h ago

Laughing out loud, Zuckerberg's $73 billion wrongful case, if only he had all in on Bitcoin from the start --- The story of the metaverse is told so well, but it's just throwing money away --- So, choosing the wrong track is just so absurd, it's time to reflect --- Virtual real estate dreams shattered, BTC is the real gold and silver, the gap is huge --- 1500 people unemployed taking the blame for the metaverse, it makes me feel uncomfortable --- 14x returns vs 1500 layoffs, it's obvious who wins and who loses --- Hard currency never goes out of style, flashy concepts are all虚假的 --- It's a bit late to say these now, but they really hit the nail on the head --- Capital allocation really can determine life and death

View OriginalReply0

LayerHopper

· 20h ago

Haha, this comparison is really ironic. Zuckerberg's hand is played a bit... how should I say it? Ecosystem tokens vs real money, the ending was obvious from the start. One burns money to make dreams, the other quietly gets rich. The difference is just so big.

View OriginalReply0

DegenGambler

· 20h ago

Haha, Zuckerberg's move is really brilliant—spending 7.3 billion on nothingness, and now they have to lay off staff to clean up the mess.

View OriginalReply0

TokenomicsTinfoilHat

· 20h ago

7.3 billion spent and only got loneliness in return, this is what you call the art of burning money haha --- Meta's account is truly incredible, it could have accumulated over 10 million bitcoins --- Virtual land dreams shattered, but Bitcoin quietly makes a fortune. Fate really loves to play tricks on us --- One bets on the future of technology, another bets on mathematical hardness. And the result? It's obvious, everyone --- Behind the 1,500 layoffs is 97.3 billion in silence, it's incredibly ironic --- Really, every time I see this kind of news, I have to laugh. Will the next Zuckerberg make the same mistake? --- The metaverse is dead, but Bitcoin continues to appreciate silently. This is called voting with money

View OriginalReply0

WalletDetective

· 20h ago

$7.3 billion worth of BTC would have already achieved financial freedom, how ironic

View OriginalReply0

BearMarketSurvivor

· 20h ago

7.3 billion invested in the Metaverse, now laying off 1,500 people, the level of irony is truly unmatched --- Damn, I should have gone all in on Bitcoin over ten years ago. Why wait until now to regret it --- Honestly, Zuckerberg's hand playing is really poor. Stacking money doesn't equal creating the future --- The problem is, how many people could see it back then... Now it's all armchair quarterbacks --- Virtual land dreams shattered, but they are still the world's richest person. What can we say --- 14x returns vs laying off 1,500 people, this is what you call "the cost of seeing the trend clearly" --- The Metaverse is indeed the highest art of cutting rich people's leeks, Bitcoin is the real hedge

View OriginalReply0